EP1232811A1 - Workpiece-supporting device for a bending machine - Google Patents

Abstract

Sheet metal guide for press brake having a lower fixed table (3) carrying on its upper face a folding die (4), type guide including in particular a pivoting means (11) of the accompanying table (5) around its pivot axis (6), and a horizontal displacement means (10) capable of horizontally displacing the accompanying table (5) relative to the support structure (25) thereof and perpendicular to the pivot axis ( 6), the active length of the pivoting means (11) being variable between its fixed articulation (43, 44) on the support structure (25) and its movable articulation (38) on the accompanying table (5), and the movable articulation (38) being able to slide along said table (5) in a direction perpendicular to the pivot axis (6) of this table (5). <IMAGE>

Description

une table accompagnatrice susceptible de pivoter par son extrémité avant autour d'un axe horizontal de pivotement,

un chariot de transfert latéral monté sur la paroi frontale de la table fixe inférieure de façon à pouvoir se déplacer horizontalement le long de cette paroi frontale,

une paroi verticale de support solidaire du chariot de transfert et munie de glissières verticales et d'au moins une vis verticale à billes susceptible d'être entraínée en rotation à partir de son extrémité inférieure,

une structure de support présentant une plaque frontale verticale et deux plaques verticales latérales s'étendant en direction opposée à la table inférieure de presse,

des rails de guidage vertical solidaires de la plaque frontale de la structure de support et coopérant chacun avec une glissière correspondante de la paroi de support du chariot, et un mécanisme d'entraínement pour déplacer verticalement la plaque frontale de la structure de support,

une table accompagnatrice articulée sur la structure de support autour d'un axe horizontal parallèlement à la matrice de pliage, et

des moyens portés par ladite structure de support susceptibles de faire pivoter autour de son axe ladite table accompagnatrice.

The present invention relates to a sheet metal support for a press brake having a fixed lower table carrying on its upper face a folding die, type of support

an accompanying table capable of pivoting at its front end about a horizontal pivot axis,

a lateral transfer carriage mounted on the front wall of the lower fixed table so as to be able to move horizontally along this front wall,

a vertical support wall secured to the transfer carriage and provided with vertical slides and at least one vertical ball screw capable of being rotated from its lower end,

a support structure having a vertical front plate and two vertical side plates extending in the direction opposite to the lower press table,

vertical guide rails integral with the front plate of the support structure and each cooperating with a corresponding slide of the support wall of the carriage, and a drive mechanism for vertically moving the front plate of the support structure,

an accompanying table articulated on the support structure around a horizontal axis parallel to the folding die, and

means carried by said support structure capable of pivoting about its axis said accompanying table.

An attendant of this type is known from patent JP 10 31 526. Abstraction of its complicated structure due to two structures of support nested one inside the other and articulated around the same axis horizontal pivot for the accompanying table, this axis is too away from the folding die to be able to secure at the table accompanying a pivoting movement always having for center the bottom of the matrix.

In addition, the combined use of cogwheels, jacks and levers requires precision mounting which is difficult to achieve and maintain during the service.

The present invention aims to remove or at least to alleviate the drawbacks linked to the prior art and to offer a sheet metal worker of the type mentioned above which allows rapid and exact positioning, and in which the axis of articulation of the accompanying table is very close to the matrix of folding.

une paire de paliers écartés l'un de l'autre et dont les axes horizontaux sont alignés l'un sur l'autre et perpendiculaires à la plaque frontale verticale de ladite structure,

deux colonnes de réglage en profondeur dont chacune est logée de façon coulissante dans une paire correspondante de paliers,

un bras vertical transversal reliant rigidement les extrémités frontales des deux colonnes de réglage, et solidaire sur la face supérieure surélevée par rapport à l'extrémité supérieure des plaques latérales de la structure de support, de doigts de support dont les extrémités frontales comportent chacune un palier pour l'axe horizontal de pivotement de la table accompagnatrice qui, par ses parties centrale et arrière, recouvre la structure de support et les organes qui lui sont solidaires,

un organe de guidage rectiligne prévu dans la partie centrale de la table accompagnatrice en dessous de la paroi plane supérieure de celle-ci et s'étendant dans le plan médian vertical de la table perpendiculairement à l'axe de pivotement de celle-ci,

une chape d'articulation susceptible de coulisser sur l'organe de guidage rectiligne et portant un axe horizontal parallèle à l'axe de pivotement,

une vis sans fin à billes dont la tête supérieure est articulée sur la chape par l'intermédiaire d'un axe de liaison parallèle à l'axe de pivotement de la table accompagnatrice,

une cage de pivotement fixée de part et d'autre sur l'une des plaques verticales de la structure de support de façon à pouvoir pivoter autour d'un axe horizontal parallèle à l'axe de pivotement de la table accompagnatrice et disposé près de l'extrémité supérieure de ladite structure,

un écrou coopérant avec la vis sans fin à billes et solidaire de la cage en déplacement axial mais mobile en rotation par rapport à cette dernière, et un moteur solidaire de la cage et dont l'arbre de sortie est parallèle à la vis sans fin à billes et entraíne en rotation ledit écrou à vis par l'intermédiaire d'une courroie crantéeThis object is achieved because, at the upper end of each of the vertical side plates of the support structure, there are provided

a pair of bearings spaced from each other and whose horizontal axes are aligned one on the other and perpendicular to the vertical front plate of said structure,

two depth adjustment columns, each of which is slidably housed in a corresponding pair of bearings,

a transverse vertical arm rigidly connecting the front ends of the two adjustment columns, and secured on the upper face raised relative to the upper end of the side plates of the support structure, support fingers whose front ends each have a bearing for the horizontal pivot axis of the accompanying table which, by its central and rear parts, covers the support structure and the members which are integral with it,

a rectilinear guide member provided in the central part of the accompanying table below the upper planar wall thereof and extending in the vertical median plane of the table perpendicular to the pivot axis thereof,

an articulation yoke capable of sliding on the rectilinear guide member and carrying a horizontal axis parallel to the pivot axis,

a ball endless screw whose upper head is articulated on the yoke by means of a connecting axis parallel to the pivot axis of the accompanying table,

a pivoting cage fixed on either side on one of the vertical plates of the support structure so as to be able to pivot around a horizontal axis parallel to the pivoting axis of the accompanying table and arranged near the 'upper end of said structure,

a nut cooperating with the ball endless screw and secured to the cage in axial displacement but movable in rotation relative to the latter, and a motor secured to the cage and the output shaft of which is parallel to the worm balls and rotates said screw nut by means of a toothed belt

In other words, the sheet metal guide therefore includes a accompanying table which is associated with means allowing it execute three straight movements perpendicular to each other and a pivoting movement around its frontal axis parallel to the largest extent of the folding die, these means comprising a horizontal transfer means parallel to the front wall of the table fixed bottom of the press brake and to the largest extent of the folding die, a means of vertical displacement carried by the means transfer, and integral with a support structure of the table attendant, a means of horizontal movement of the table accompanying in relation to its support structure and perpendicular to the pivot axis of said accompanying table as well as a means of pivoting of said table about its pivot axis, this means of pivoting being variable in length between its articulation on the support structure and its articulation on the accompanying table, this last joint being able to slide along the table attendant in a direction perpendicular to the axis of pivoting of said table.

Thanks to this design, the positioning of the table guide with respect to the folding die can be carried out quickly and accurately while avoiding elements requiring complicated and expensive manufacturing.

• la figure 1 montre une coupe verticale de l'accompagnateur de tôles suivant la ligne I-I de la figure 3, en position de repos de la table accompagnatrice, associé à la table inférieure fixe d'une presse plieuse ;
• la figure 2 montre une coupe verticale de l'accompagnateur de tôles suivant la ligne I-I de la figure 3, la table accompagnatrice occupant une position fortement inclinée par rapport à l'horizontale au voisinage et au-dessus de la matrice de pliage ;
• la figure 3 est une vue en plan suivant la flèche III de la figure 1 d'une partie de l'accompagnateur de tôle, la table accompagnatrice pivotable y étant indiquée en pointillé pour rendre visible les éléments montés sur la structure de support ;
• la figure 4 est une vue en coupe verticale suivant la ligne IV-IV de la figure 3 et montrant la fixation de l'extrémité frontale de la table accompagnatrice sur un bloc de liaison solidaire de l'axe de pivotement de ladite table ;
• la figure 5 est une vue en plan d'une coupe suivant la ligne brisée V-V des figures 1 et 6 montrant les éléments pour le transfert horizontal et le déplacement vertical de la structure de support et des éléments montés sur celle-ci, et
• la figure 6 est une vue agrandie en élévation d'un détail délimité par le cercle VI de la figure 1.

The object of the present invention will be better understood with the aid of the following nonlimiting description of an embodiment of the sheet metal guide, description referring to the appended drawing in which:

• Figure 1 shows a vertical section of the sheet metal guide along line II of Figure 3, in the rest position of the accompanying table, associated with the fixed lower table of a press brake;
• Figure 2 shows a vertical section of the sheet metal guide along line II of Figure 3, the accompanying table occupying a strongly inclined position relative to the horizontal in the vicinity and above the folding die;
• Figure 3 is a plan view along arrow III of Figure 1 of a portion of the sheet metal guide, the pivotable accompanying table being indicated in dotted lines to make visible the elements mounted on the support structure;
• Figure 4 is a vertical sectional view along line IV-IV of Figure 3 and showing the attachment of the front end of the accompanying table on a connecting block secured to the pivot axis of said table;
• FIG. 5 is a plan view of a section along the broken line VV of FIGS. 1 and 6 showing the elements for the horizontal transfer and the vertical displacement of the support structure and of the elements mounted thereon, and
• FIG. 6 is an enlarged view in elevation of a detail delimited by the circle VI of FIG. 1.

As can be seen in the attached drawing, and more particularly in FIGS. 1 and 2, the sheet metal guide 1 is mounted on a wall vertical front 2 of a lower table 3 of a press brake not shown in more detail. At its upper end, the lower table 3 carries a folding die 4 whose throat open upwards is parallel to the front wall 2.

The sheet metal guide 1 has, at its upper end, an accompanying table 5 capable of moving rectilinearly along the axes x, Y, z and rotate around an axis 6 which is horizontal and parallel to the vertical wall 2 and to the folding die 4, and which is provided at the front end 7 of the accompanying table 5, this front end 7 being close to said folding die 4.

The accompanying table 5 is therefore associated with means 8, 9, 10 and 11 allowing it to execute the three rectilinear movements perpendicular to each other in the directions x, Y, z and a pivoting around the horizontal axis 6 cooperating with the front end 7 of said accompanying table 5.

The first (8) of these means 8, 9, 10 and 11 is a means of transfer horizontal and parallel to the vertical wall 2 of the lower table 3 of the press brake and the folding die 4. This first means 8 comprises a transfer carriage 12 mounted on the front wall 2 so as to be able move horizontally along this wall 2. This first means 8 also includes a guide 13 whose vertical section has the shape of a lying u, the bottom 13a of which is integral with the vertical front wall 2 of table 3 and the lateral branches 13b, 13c of which comprise either guide column 14 (see upper branch 13b), i.e. a groove of guide 15 (see lower branch 13c of the u-shaped section layer). The transfer carriage 12 has two transfer bearings lateral 16a, 16b, for example with ball bearings which each surround the guide column 14 with the exception of the rectilinear fixing zone 17, for example by welding, of this column 14 on the rib of the branch upper 13b of the guide 13. The transfer carriage 12 has, in addition, a guide rib 18 which engages in the groove 15 of the branch lower 13c of the guide 13. The bearings 16a, 16b and the guide rib 18 are integral with a vertical support wall 20 which is an integral part side transfer carriage 12.

The second means is a vertical displacement means 9 which comprises at least two vertical slides 21, 22 integral with the wall vertical support 20 of the transfer carriage 12 and provided on the side opposite the lateral transfer bearings 16a, 16b and at least one screw vertical ball 23 which is for example arranged along the median plane vertical of the vertical support wall and halfway between the slides vertical 21, 22. This vertical screw 23 is integral with the support wall 20 in axial displacement but is movable in rotation relative to this last and cooperates, at its lower end with a non rotary motor shown whose housing is fixed on the lower edge of said wall of support 20.

The vertical displacement means 9 further comprises a support structure 25 having a vertical front plate 25a of which the side facing the support wall 20 of the carriage 12 has two vertical guide rails 26, 27 of T section each engaging in a corresponding vertical slide 21, 22 whose groove also has a T-section for retaining said rail 26, 27 in a vertical position and said front plate 25a. A ball nut 19 cooperating with the screw vertical ball 23 is also part of the displacement means 9, said nut being immobile in rotation and integral with the lower part of the support structure 25 and in particular of the front plate 25a of it. As can be seen more particularly in Figures 1 to 3 and 5, the support structure 25 also comprises two vertical plates lateral 25b, 25c parallel to each other and perpendicular to the wall vertical support 20 and to the vertical front plate 25a to which they are rigidly attached. It should also be noted that the upper part of the side plates 25b, 25c projects upwards from the upper edge of the front plate 25a and is slightly set back from it so to make room for an element of the third plea of rectilinear displacement which will be discussed later.

The third means of rectilinear movement of the table attendant 5 is a means of movement 10 allowing the latter perform a horizontal movement relative to the support structure 25 and perpendicular to the vertical plane of the front plate 25a of this last. This horizontal displacement means 10 comprises, at the part upper and on the outer face of each vertical plate 25b, 25c of the support structure 25, a pair 28, 29 of bearings including the bearings 28a, 28b; 29a, 29b are of identical internal diameters and separated one of each other and whose horizontal axes are aligned with each other and perpendicular to the vertical plane of the front plate 25a of said structure 25. This means 10 also presents, for each of the two pairs of bearings 28, 29, a depth adjustment column 30a, 30b slidingly housed in a corresponding pair of bearings 28 or 29 as well as a transverse arm 31 rigidly connecting the ends front of the two adjustment columns 30a, 30b, this arm 31 being disposed above the front plate 25a and in front of the vertical front edges of the part set back from the side plates 25b and 25c. Also do part of the horizontal displacement means 10, two support fingers lateral 32a, 32b fixed by their rear ends on the upper face 31a of the transverse arm 31, the upper face 31a of the latter being raised relative to the upper edges of the side plates 25b, 25c. The front end of each support finger 32a, 32b includes a bearing 33a, 33b each receiving an end part of the pivot axis 6 secured to the front end of the accompanying table 5 by two fixing blocks 35a and 35b crossed without play by the pivot axis 6 and fixed, on the one hand, to the front end of said table 5 and, on the other part, on axis 6 by locking screws 36.

The accompanying table 5 includes a flat upper plate 5a bordered on its periphery, preferably rectangular, by side plates 5b, front 5c and rear 5d together forming a kind of low height skirt. Below the upper plate 5a, and especially in its longitudinal zone and halfway between the plates side 5b are provided several holding magnets 37a, 37b for a bending plate 34, one of which (37a) is located near the hinge axis 6 and the other (37b) at the rear of the accompanying table 5. It is advisable to note that in the horizontal position, the flat upper plate 5a of the accompanying table 5 rests on the support fingers 32a, 32b and is retained against tilting backwards by the pivot axis 6 housed in the bearings 33a, 33b of said support fingers 32a, 32b.

To move the table forward or backward horizontally guide, we act on the depth adjustment columns 30a, 30b, either manually or using a drive mechanism, such that a rack drive not shown, the rack itself can be incorporated into part of each column 30a, 30b. from that the horizontal position chosen from the front end of the table attendant 5 with respect to matrix 4 is established, said block is blocked table 5 in this position by immobilizing the columns 30a, 30b by with respect to the support structure 25.

The pivoting means 11 of the accompanying table 5 includes an articulation member 38 capable of sliding along a guide rod 39 provided in the central part and under the plate upper 5a of table 5 and more precisely said, in the median plane vertical perpendicular to this upper plate 5a and to the axis of pivot 6, this guide rod 39 extending rearwards from the transverse arm 31 over at least one third of the length of the table 5 and being fixed at its ends in housing blocks 40a, 40b integral from said table 5.

The articulation member 38 comprises, on the one hand, a yoke hinge 38a mounted astride the guide rod 39 which constitutes a rectilinear guide member for said yoke 38a, and, on the other hand, a connecting piece 38b partially engaging in the yoke 38a and connected to it by a horizontal axis 38c so as to be able to pivot by relative to said yoke 38a without impeding the sliding thereof on the rod guide 39.

The pivoting means 11 also includes an endless ball screw 40 which cooperates with a ball nut 41 pivotally mounted on the part upper of the support structure 25 between the side plates 25b, 25c of it, so that it can pivot around a parallel horizontal axis to the axis 38c of the yoke 38a and to the pivot axis 6 of the table guide 5. The upper end of the worm 40 is integral of the connecting piece 38b which thus constitutes a screw head. We note that in the horizontal position of the accompanying table 5, the worm 40 occupies a vertical position and the axis 38c of the member hinge 38 and the pivot axis of the nut 41 cooperating with the screw endless 40 are located in the same vertical plane and that said nut 41 surrounds in this position the upper part of the worm 40. can easily see that the pivot means 11 is long active variable between its fixed articulation on the support structure 25 and its mobile articulation (articulation member 38) on the table attendant 5, this movable articulation being capable of sliding along table 5 in a direction perpendicular to the axis of pivoting 6 of said table 5.

The ball nut 41 is partially housed in a cage of pivot 42 fixed on either side on one of the two side plates 25b, 25c of the support structure by means of two horizontal bolts partially threaded articulation 43, 44 which are aligned with each other and have a smooth part passing through the wall of the cage 42 and constituting the horizontal pivot axis of the ball nut 41. The structure of a ball nut and ball endless screw being widely known, it does not does not seem necessary to describe it here in detail.

Note that part of the cylindrical periphery of the nut 41 cooperates with a rolling bearing 45 disposed in the pivoting cage 42 and that the enlarged upper end of the nut 41 is integral with a drive pulley 46 crossed with lateral play by the worm 40, this drive pulley 46 being connected by an endless belt 47 for example notched to a pulley 48 secured to the shaft of an engine drive 49 whose casing is fixed on the pivoting cage 42.

It is self-evident that the embodiment described above is given only as an example and may be subject to a number of modifications without leaving the protective framework, such as defined by the appended claims. So, for example, the yoke 38a of the articulation member 38, instead of being mounted astride the rod of guide 39 (see figure 1), could as well constitute the head of the screw endless 40, so that the connecting piece 38b should be shaped to be able to slide on the rod 39 while partially engaging in yoke 38a (see figure 2).

Claims (9)

Sheet metal guide for press brake having a lower fixed table (3) carrying on its upper face a folding die (4), type guide an accompanying table (5) capable of pivoting at its front end about a horizontal pivot axis (6); lateral transfer means (8) mounted on a vertical front wall (2) of the lower table (3) so as to be able to move horizontally along this front wall (2); a vertical displacement means (9) which is carried by the lateral transfer means (8), is movable vertically relative to the latter and is integral with a support structure (25) of the accompanying table (5) and of its horizontal pivot axis (6); as well as' a pivoting means (11) of the accompanying table (5) about its pivot axis (6), characterized in that it further comprises a horizontal displacement means (10) capable of horizontally displacing the accompanying table (5) relative to the support structure (25) thereof and perpendicular to the pivot axis (6), that the active length of the pivoting means (11) is variable between its fixed articulation (43, 44) on the support structure (25) and its mobile articulation (38) on the accompanying table (5), and that the movable articulation (38) is capable of sliding along said table (5) in a direction perpendicular to the pivot axis (6) of this table (5). Sheet metal guide according to claim 1, characterized in that
the means for horizontal movement (10) of the accompanying table (5) comprises: at the upper end and on the outer face of each of the side plates (25b, 25c) of the support structure (25), a pair of bearings (28, 29) including the bearings (28a, 28b; 29a, 29b) are spaced from each other and aligned with one another along a horizontal axis perpendicular to the vertical front plate (25a) of the support structure, two depth adjustment columns (30a, 30b) each of which is slidably housed in a corresponding pair of bearings (28, 29), a transverse vertical arm (31) rigidly connecting the front ends of the two adjustment columns (30a, 30b), and lateral support fingers (32a, 32b) fixed by their rear ends to the upper face (31a) of the transverse arm (31) and comprising at each front end, a bearing (33a, 33b) receiving a corresponding end of the axis pivoting (6) of the accompanying table (5). Sheet metal guide according to claim 1,
characterized in that the upper part of the side plates (25b, 25c) of the support structure (25) projects upwards the upper edge of the front plate (25a) of the latter and is slightly recessed with respect to said edge,
and in that the transverse arm (31) is disposed above the front plate (25a) and in front of the vertical front edges of the recessed portion of the side plates (25b, 25c) of the support structure (25). Sheet metal guide according to claim 1 or 2, characterized in that the front end of the accompanying table (5) is made integral with its pivot axis (6) by two fixing blocks (35a, 35b) crossed without play by said axis (6) and fixed, on the one hand, to the front end of the table (5), and, on the other hand, to the axis (6) by locking screws (36). Sheet metal guide according to one of claims 1, 2 and 4, characterized in that the accompanying table (5) covers the support structure (25) and the members which are integral with it and that it comprises a flat upper plate ( 5a) bordered on its rectangular periphery by side plates (5b), front (5c) and rear (5d) which together form a kind of low-profile skirt. Sheet support according to one of Claims 1, 2, 4 and 5, characterized in that in the horizontal position, the support table (5) rests by its flat upper plate (5a) on the support fingers (32a, 32b ) and is retained against any rearward tilting by the pivot axis (6) housed in the bearings (33a, 33b) of said fingers (32a, 32b). Sheet metal guide according to claim 1, characterized in that the movable articulation (38) of the pivoting means (11) comprises, on the one hand, an articulation yoke (38a) mounted astride a guide rod ( 39) provided in the central part and under the upper plate (5a) of the accompanying table (5) and, on the other hand, a connecting piece (38b) partially engaging in the yoke (38a) and connected to that -ci by a horizontal axis (38c) so as to be able to pivot relative to said yoke (38a) without hindering the sliding thereof on the guide rod (39). Sheet metal guide according to one of claims 1 and 7, characterized in that the pivoting means (11) further comprises an endless ball screw (40) secured at its upper end to the connecting piece (38b ) or the yoke (38a) of the movable articulation (38), a ball nut (41) cooperating with said worm (40) and mounted at a fixed station but pivoting on the upper part of the support structure (25) so as to be able to pivot about a horizontal axis (43, 44) parallel to the axis (38c) of the mobile joint (38), and a drive motor (49) whose shaft outlet carries a pulley (48) connected by an endless belt (47) to a pulley (46) integral with the nut (41) and crossed with play by the endless ball screw (40). Sheet metal guide according to claim 8, characterized in that the ball nut (41) is mounted in a pivoting cage (42) by means of a rolling bearing (45), that said cage (42) is articulated on the side plates (25b, 25c) of the support structure (25) by means of articulation bolts (43, 44) and that the drive motor (49) is also fixed on said cage (42) .

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